“Love your heart! Live to be a hundred like Biola,” cheered Marcy Guevara, Centennial Assistant, as she prepared to walk three miles in the 17th annual American Heart Association Heart Walk.

On Saturday, September 29, thousands of Angelinos (including a Biola team) showed up to participate in Start! Heart Walk. The walk, which began in Los Angeles’s Exposition Park, was held to raise funds for and awareness of heart disease and stroke. This year, over one million dollars in funds were raised.

Biola University first partnered with AHA last month for the Red Line fashion show. “Being a part of the centennial was so great,” said Claudia Keller, executive director of AHA for the Los Angeles county district.

Keller also said it is important to raise awareness about heart health issues among the college generation. “They need to realize heart disease builds up over a lifetime. Start healthy habits now,” she urged.

Senior Director of Biola’s Integrated Marketing Communications, Irene Neller said, “When the American Heart Association partnered with the fashion show, we asked how we could give back and they said we could walk in the Heart Walk.” She continued saying that the Heart Walk was, “Just another opportunity for us to partner with the community of Los Angeles.” Neller also said that Biola’s 100th anniversary is about celebrating how we will give back to the communities around us.

Among the Biola walkers was the eagle mascot who sported a large heart, which read, “Love your heart.” Many people stopped to take pictures with the eagle including Los Angeles Council Member Tom LaBonge and emcee and KCAL 9 news broadcaster, Pat Harvey.

The freshman behind the mascot, Jamie Nielsen, said she believed it’s important for Biola to join in on L.A. community events. “It’s a good opportunity to represent Biola in a non-Christian setting among people who seem to be concerned with things we as Christians should be concerned with.”

AHA Chairman, Dave Ross said that, “This year, Biola is a big supporter of the American Heart Association.”

Biola was proud to take a step (three miles worth, in fact) to give back to the community in which it began.

Join us on November 3 for the next centennial event, Biola Fest, featuring popular recording artist, MercyMe.